Pale Imitations
by sammy1026
Summary: A continuation of the scene from S4 ep 4 where Danny and Steve find Billy waiting in the parking lot.


Huge thanks to Mari217 for all her help with Jersey-isms.

This is a continuation of the scene from S4 ep 4 where Steve and Danny find Billy waiting in the parking lot.

This is all Danny's POV

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I can't believe this freakin' chooch is here again.

I bet Steve wishes he'd listened to me now.

Catherine turned down the job with Billy. That should have been that. Her decision. He came out looking like a stellar boyfriend. I told him to just take the win and move on. But does he ever listen to me?

No.

Mr. 'I'm not the jealous type' just goes on his merry way. And now look where we are.

I figured out everything I need to know about Billy Harrington within 5 minutes of laying eyes on him. Back in Jersey we would have called him a cazzone. Hasn't seen Steve in years and starts the conversation off by bringing up the North Korea mission.

Integrity and character my ass.

However he found out about the op, whether he's high enough up the food chain to know the details or he picked it up through Navy gossip, he has to know how it blew up. Didn't stop him from jumping right in with both feet though. I don't believe for a minute he didn't know exactly what he was saying. He was trying to throw Steve off his game.

"You remember Detective Danny Williams, my partner."

"Of course." How did I know he'd be one of those guys whose handshake is just a little firmer than it needs to be?

"Good to see you. Again." I hope he isn't planning on making a habit of these little visits.

"Well actually I'm glad I ran into you. I never got a chance to thank you."

I really shouldn't find this as funny as I do. But there's something comical about watching Steve do the slow burn. Billy clearly thinks he's pulling off the innocent and sincere shtick. I wonder if he practices in the mirror while he's shaving.

Probably.

He seems like the multi-tasker type.

"For what?"

Steve is past even trying to pretend he isn't on to Billy. He's putting on a happy face for Catherine's sake, but he knows the score.

Finally.

Too bad he didn't listen to me from the start. Could have saved us all a lot of trouble. But no, he had to convince Catherine to take the job.

Which as I've pointed out to him repeatedly….not that he listens….was stupid.

He thinks it was noble because the job is a great career opportunity for Catherine. But I seriously doubt Catherine was going to be hurting for a job . As soon as word got around she was thinking of leaving the Navy people would have come out of the woodwork with offers.

Non ex-boyfriend type people.

"For being cool with all this. Catherine told me how you encouraged her to take the job."

Butter wouldn't melt in this guy's mouth.

"Don't mention it."

That's right, Billy. Don't mention it. I'll take care of reminding Steve of his mistakes.

"Truth is, I'm lucky to have her. We make a great team."

If that's what passes for subtle in Billy's world, I'd hate to see him try to be obvious.

"That's good. It's good to see you."

Good idea, partner. Walk away.

"Little Wing this is Big Kahuna. Be advised Commander McGarrett is headed to your position."

"You guys got code names for each other…..Cute."

"Standard procedure in private security."

"No..hey..I hear ya. But let me take a guess here. You're the one who came up with the names?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"So you're Big Kahuna…which is pretty much self-explanatory, and Catherine is Little Wing?"

"Yeah."

"From the Hendrix song?"

"I'm pretty sure it was Def Leppard."

Is he freakin' kidding me? I shake my head.

"It was Hendrix. One of the 500 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time. The Def Leppard version was a cover. And a pale imitation."

"Are you sure?" He looks kind of incredulous.

"Positive."

"Well whatever. It's a great song no matter who sings it."

"It's a happy, trippy song about a pretty girl."

"Exactly."

"So let me get this straight. You get the Big Shot tag and Catherine is stuck with Pretty Girl."

"Catherine is a pretty girl." He talks real slow like he's talking to a child.

"Well…yes…that much is apparent to anyone with eyes."

"There's nothing wrong with calling a girl pretty. I find they generally respond well to it."

"True. But don't you think it….I don't know….I'm just spitballin' here…it gives the wrong impression. Like that…for example..Catherine was hired for something other than her skills? "

"I never really thought of it that way."

"Of course you didn't."

Billy casually puts his sunglasses back on, crosses his arms and resumes the same 'pretty boy lean' against the car he was doing when we pulled into the parking lot. He looks like he's waiting for a paparazzi to come along and snap a picture.

He smirks. "Catherine and I go way back. I think I have a better grasp on what she's capable of than you do."

I bite my tongue. There is absolutely nothing to be gained by getting into a pissing match with this guy. In fact, it's probably exactly what he wants. Still.. there's no denying it would be satisfying to wipe that little smirk right off his face.

Stupid 'medigan. He wouldn't last an hour back in the old neighborhood. That smarmy charm might work on other people but it isn't gonna get you anywhere with me. I see you for exactly what you are.

This guy is trying to poach Catherine away from Steve. And poachers are like cockroaches. All they need is a tiny opening and next thing you know they're tearing the place up. He probably thinks he can make points with Catherine if he can bitch about Steve's friends being mean to him.

Sorry, Billy. You're not gonna get any ammo from me.

"You do not have to sell Catherine's credentials to me. I've seen her in action plenty of times. No question she buries the needle on the awesome scale."

"So you see why she was the only choice for the position." Billy smirks as though he's won something.

"I adore Catherine but…and I'm pretty sure she would agree with me on this….there are a lot of very qualified intelligence officers in the Navy."

"That's true, there definitely are."

"I'm assuming you must have met one or two of them over the years. So I can't help but think there had to be a more personal reason you set your sights on Catherine. All due respect."

"Catherine and I have a great working relationship. We know each other. We've worked together under high stress situations. Once we get in the groove we're like a well-oiled machine."

"In the groove?" This guy has no idea the fire he's playing with.

"Look, it's like I told Steve. I'm not trying to get in the middle of his relationship with Catherine."

I'm tempted to tell him he's full of crap. Getting in the middle is exactly what he's trying to do. I'm also tempted to tell him all the reasons it isn't gonna happen. But I won't. Because the last thing I'm gonna do is discuss Steve and Catherine with this guy.

He's trying to get under Steve's skin. "I wanted to thank you…""We make a great team…" "Last I heard you were on some black ops mission…"

He's trying to get Steve to do something stupid that will piss Catherine off. Probably hoping he can make Steve jealous enough to demand Catherine quit. Which at this point would go over like a lead balloon.

And then who do you suppose would be Billy-on-the-spot. Ready and willing to provide an understanding shoulder.

Well if anyone is going to goad Steve into doing something, it's me. Because unlike chooch over here I have his best interests at heart.

If he would have listened to me about this whole job thing in the first place we'd all be better off. But we are where we are now and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let this pale imitation screw them up.

"I'd like to believe you Billy, but you don't exactly make it easy."

"I'm just being who I am, Detective Williams."

I'm trying to figure out if this guy is arrogant, stupid or both.

Probably both.

He's looking for any opportunity, just a tiny opening, and if there isn't one he's gonna try his best to make one.

But I'm not gonna let that happen.

I have Steve's back. Always. And Catherine's too.

I aided and abetted in the release of four terrorists because he told me he couldn't chance losing her.

Cutting this guy off at the pass will be child's play.

"Well it was nice seeing you…again, Billy, but I have to go. Work to do. No time to stand around and look pretty."

He smiles, though it's a little less sincere this time. I turn around and head for the front door. I can feel his glare burning a hole in my back.

"Right back at ya, putz.


End file.
